VA, DC Traffic Fatalities Spike After COVID-19 Lockdowns: Report

MARYLAND — The number of fatal crashes on Washington, D.C., and Virginia roads spiked in 2021 as drivers logged more miles following widespread COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, according to a new report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A total of 42,939 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents on U.S. roadways in 2021, the most significant number of fatalities in one year since 2005, according to the report. The number also represents a 10 percent increase from 2020, when just over 39,000 people were killed.

In Virginia, 973 people died in traffic-related accidents, a 14.5 percent increase over 2020. In D.C., 41 people died, marking a 13.9 percent increase over 2020, according to the report.

Traffic deaths attributed to alcohol use increased dramatically in Washington, D.C., according to the report. About 30 percent of all traffic fatalities in the District — or 12 deaths — resulted from alcohol use, up 50 percent from 2020.

Meanwhile, deaths attributed to alcohol use dropped marginally in Virginia, down 0.7 percent in 2021 from the year prior.

Nationwide studies examining the effect of COVID-19 lockdowns on traffic and safety showed that the number of miles traveled by motorists reduced sharply mainly due to the travel restrictions, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Despite the drop during the early months of COVID-19 lockdowns, the number of miles traveled by U.S. drivers rebounded to nearly pre-pandemic levels by June 2020, according to the NHTSA, and continued to climb into 2021.

However, researchers at NIH also noticed a spike in risky behaviors, including speeding and driving under the influence of drugs.

Numbers in the NHTSA report reflect that conclusion. Nationwide speeding-related fatalities increased by 7.9 percent in 2021, alcohol-impaired fatalities increased by 14 percent, and seat belt non-use fatalities increased by 8.1 percent.

Throughout 2021, the number of miles traveled in a vehicle increased by 11 percent over 2020, the report said.

Distracted driving also affected the number of fatalities on U.S. roads in 2021, according to the report. In fact, fatalities in distraction-related crashes increased by 12 percent nationwide, from 3,154 people in 2020 to 3,522 in 2021.

According to the report, distracted driving accounted for 8.2 percent of all reported fatalities.

Read the full report online.